Annual and biennial plants are an extensive product group with very diverse varieties and peak periods. Well known examples are the border plants petunia, verbena and surfinia and the house-plants begonia and hydrangea. These are often fast-rooting crops that require different types of shoot plug. Originally, plants for annual and biennial plants are planted in trays with loosely filled substrate. This means the substrate is airy and well-structured, which makes planting easier.
 
What is the challenge you face as a grower for annual and biennial plants?
Thanks to economies of scale, volumes in the sector for annual and biennial plants are increasing rapidly. And that is driving demand for automation. To handle shoots efficiently, growers are switching en masse to different shoot plugs. With one disadvantage: the micro-climate in the shoot plugs differs from the previous climate. And that results in a loss of quality.
 
Benefits of the Growcoon
The Growcoon is also a shoot plug, but one that has been developed using another principle: replicating the natural situation of the plant.

• Because the Growcoon is filled loosely with the grower's own selection of substrate, the rooting of the crops is much more effective
• This means the quality of the plants is more uniform and you can pot up or deliver weeks earlier
• The Growcoon creates an optimal micro-climate, resulting in rapid further growth after potting up or planting in open ground